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Pre-Physical Therapy

OVERVIEW:

Physical therapists work with patients who have lost certain physical abilities through injury or illness to relieve their pain, help them regain physical strength, help them recover the use of an afflicted limb, or relearn how to perform the activities of daily living. They confer with the patient's physician prior to initiating treatment and evaluation. Evaluating a patient's physical ability through testing, which includes range-of-motion tests, manual-muscle tests, gait and functional analysis, and other diagnostic tools, helps the therapist establish a program for the patient, teach the patient the techniques they need to use, and monitor their progress. Physical therapists work in rehabilitation, community health, industry, sports, research, education, and administration. They also perform patient evaluations.

In Texas, physical therapists must receive a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited university and then should enroll in a doctoral level program. Physicaltherapists must then pass a national exam administered by the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examine

Related career fields include physical therapy assistant/aide and occupational therapist.